Texans notes: WR Holliday receives pink tricycle

Tricycle for Trindon

Rookie receiver/return man Trindon Holliday (5-5, 160) has been out with a hamstring injury. He has been spending most of practice riding a stationary bicycle with other injured players.

When Holliday went to the practice field Wednesday morning, he found a pink tricycle to ride.

"I think it was a rookie hazing, just a joke, a way for the guys to get a laugh," Holliday said. "Some guys told me coach (Gary Kubiak) did it, but I'm not 100 percent sure about that.

"You know, it's not my color. After practice, Andre Johnson told me that I was going to have to take a lap on it, so I got on it, and Jacoby (Jones) pushed me around on it."

Absent with leave

Outside linebacker Brian Cushing got a day off to take care of personal business, according to coach Gary Kubiak. It was an excused absence. He missed the morning practice and was back Wednesday night.

"He had some personal business he had to take care of, and I knew about it when we started camp," Kubiak said. "He had to take a day off, and I told him to get it done today.

"It's no big deal. It's something I knew that had to get done, so we picked the right day to do it. There is never a right day so I picked today."

Just his flavor

Receiver Kevin Walter turned 30 on Wednesday. After the morning practice, he was doing a television interview. Quarterback Matt Schaub came up from behind him and gave him a shaving cream pie in the face.

"I wanted to give him something to help celebrate his birthday," Schaub said. "I wanted to give him something everyone could laugh about."

Walter was a good sport about it.

"It tastes pretty good," he said as he wiped his face.

Setback for Adibi

Outside linebacker Xavier Adibi came to camp with the best chance to start the first four games of regular season while Brian Cushing is suspended for violating the league's policy against performance-enhancing drugs.

"I'm concerned right now with Adibi," coach Gary Kubiak said. "His groin is going to take some time to heal. Obviously, we were counting on him very much, so I feel bad for him because it seems like every time he gets on the brink something happens.

"Hopefully, we can get past this and keep him healthy for a period of time."

Griffith on injured reserve

Fullback Justin Griffith was placed on injured reserve after suffering what the Texans called a suffered a concussion and a contusion to his spinal cord.

Jack Corcoran, a rookie free-agent fullback from Rutgers, was signed to replace Griffith on the Texans roster.

Pair of motormouths

Strong safety Bernard Pollard has a motormouth during practice that never stops. Defensive end Antonio Smith has a motormouth that's most noticeable during games.

"In the game, I would say me," Smith said after being asked which player has the biggest mouth. "In practice, BP. He gets a little rowdy out there. I don't think there's a play where he isn't saying something."

Smith likes the way Pollard has asserted himself as the leader.

"Whenever we get in the huddle, he has his own thing where he calls out the person there and puts his own little swing in there to get us a little crunk," Smith said. "He's emotional. He's an emotional leader. I think everybody plays their roles.

"Me, I just have fun. I might be leading sometimes. I might crack a joke when everyone else is being serious."

In step with

Danny Clark

Linebacker

Veteran linebacker Danny Clark returned to the Texans because he saw a quality opportunity for himself, and that’s exactly what he has received in camp this week. With second-year starting linebacker Brian Cushing missing practice and third-year backup Xavier Adibi out with a strained groin, Clark suddenly became the starter Wednesday.

“I’m excited to get my opportunity to run with the ones,” Clark said. “But we all have to understand that this is an ongoing competition, and it’s not anything that will be decided today or tomorrow.”

Clark (6-2, 233) enters his 11th season in the league and second with the Texans after playing the 2007 season in Houston. He had 33 tackles and two sacks for the New York Giants last season, and the Texans brought him back for his veteran leadership. With Cushing to miss the first four games of the season because of suspension, Clark was brought in to be the backup to Adibi during that time.

During his first few days in camp, Clark has provided instruction and advice for the younger linebackers he is competing against. The coaches think Clark’s arrival will not only add more depth to the position but also improve the players ahead of him.

“They have all the tools; they just want to know how to bring it all together,” Clark said. “That’s something that comes along when you bring in a veteran like myself with talented young guys who are willing to learn. They begin to become polished, and I think that’s where we’re headed.”

Did you know?

Linebacker DeMeco Ryans was born in Bessemer, Ala., the same city where former football/baseball star Bo Jackson was born.